Hello.
Is there anyone who would like to share their experiences on treating PCO with acupuncture. I have not met the woman comming to my clinic yet. She told me about the PCO diagnosis on the phone and said that she is also tired, overweight and loves suggar to much.
Comment by Archived User
points for POS: Sp6, Ren4, if kidney def. pattern add: St36, Sp10, Ub23 use tonify needling, if Liver fire pattern add: Lv3, Ren3, use sedate needling. ear needle: uterus, endocrine, Shenmen, sympathetic auto, subcortex, ovary.
Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.
PCOS from a western perspective appears to be related to insulin-resistance and obesity. Being a "syndrome", however, all of the causes are not well understood and even the diagnosis itself is not definitive.
Before I start an answer I wanted to point out one thing in your post which may or may not have been intentional. You appear to be using PCOS and PCO interchangeably. It's important to know that they are not interchangeable - that is women with polycystic ovaries may not have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) - 20% or so in fact do not.
You will have to see your patient first and report all of the relevant signs and symptoms for us to offer any real useful advice. As you are well aware Chinese Medicine treats patterns, not conditions. PCOS is often related to dampness/phlegm possibly with heat. Where this is coming from, however, is different for each patient and you must perform a proper diagnosis. Kidney Yang deficiency is probably the most common pattern, but other Kidney patterns, Liver Stagnation and Spleen Qi Deficiency are also possibilities.
Regardless, with proper diagnosis it is a treatable condition. The patient, however, has to be involved with dietary changes and exercise (i.e. they have to lose weight) to facilitate the required hormonal and endocrine changes that acupuncture and/or herbal medicine will stimulate.
Comment by Archived User
In addition to acupuncture and exercise, an equally important measure to take is diet change. In my practice I have had at least 2 people in just the past 6 months that had a complete reversal of their symptoms by strictly cutting out gluten and all gluten containing grains: Wheat, Rye, Barley, Spelt, Triticale, and Oats. Cutting out refined sugars also helps.
If they do nothing else that would improve her health tremendously!
Comment by Archived User
Like Chad mentioned, PCOS seems to be greatly related to insulin-resistance, patients are usually over weight so even though you are probably treating dampness/phlegm with acupuncture and herbs, the patient NEEDS to lose weigth, if not the success is low. Patient should follow a low glycemic diet and preferably some exercise. To the above points I recommend adding SP 9, ST 40 for the phlegm/dampness and Zi Gong Xue to stimulate the ovaries.
Comment by Archived User
I tend to use all the points recommended because I see primarily Damp/Phlegm and Kidney Yang deficiencies. Also, the most important factor is weight loss. One of my clients has lost 64 pounds and has had 2 normal periods. Much of the weight loss was by eliminating gluten and sugars.
Comment by Archived User
For weight loss should strong stomach and spleen function, add Ren12, St36, Sp8,10, Ub20, 21, Pc5, promote Qi and Blood circle add Li4, Lv3, for kidney yang def. should moxa Ren4, 6, and Du4.